Sometimes the stress of planning for Christmas leaves our festive spirit in tatters. Well, not this year, we say. Not this year! What’s waiting till tomorrow starts tonight.
We’ve rounded up the best apps to get us organised for Christmas, so we can kick back and enjoy the countdown to the holidays without that last-minute present-wrapping panic and turkey dinner fiasco.
From budgeting like a boss to smashing your Secret Santa, here’s how to get all your turtle doves in a neat little row this Christmas.
Giftster
Every family has that one person who’s painfully difficult to buy for but Giftster gives them the opportunity to declare the gifts they’d like to receive, taking all the guess work and dad drama out of holiday shopping.
Create and share your gift ideas and wish lists with family and friends or set up a Secret Santa draw. You can even mark certain gifts as reserved, so you don’t double up on anything. Genius.
Santa’s Bag
Make Christmas shopping a breeze with this easy to use app. Share & save links straight to the app, set and track budgets per person and organise each gift using the handy labelling system, so you can keep on top of your to-do list through the entire process from ‘idea’, ‘need to buy’, ‘purchased’ and ‘wrapped’. You’ll never forget granny’s present again.
Moonpig
Level up your Christmas card game with these one of a kind, personalised designs. Whether you want to upload a memorable photo directly from your camera roll or pick one of their ready-made designs and choose your favourite font, these greeting cards are sure to make your loved ones’ day even more magical. Import reminders from your calendar so you can forever be organised and browse their flowers, hampers and other gifts, ideal for any last-minute stocking fillers. Sweeeeeet!
Papier
Everyone loves a bit of post at Christmas, especially when it’s as beautiful as Papier post. Spread some festive cheer with their v aesthetically pleasing Christmas card sets and singles. Choose from lovingly illustrated merry motifs, real gold foil details or your own photo design and personalise the inside with a lovely message or leave blank for your own unique handwritten note.
Punchbowl
Make sure everyone’s kept in the loop with these free fun digital invites and save-the-dates, perfect for organising your festive family get-together. Build your guest list quickly and easily with convenient import options from your contacts and keep track of your RSVPs in real-time from the app. Follow up with any guests who haven’t responded yet with a casual passive-aggressive reminder text/email, and chat with guests one-on-one or broadcast updates and announcements to the whole group. Advanced features allow you to add a co-host and add a poll – very useful stuff.
Price Runner
The holy grail of smart holiday shopping, Price Runner is the UK’s biggest product and price comparison service. You can compare all the products you find in store and keep track of special offers to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
Simply scan the product in store and the app will direct you to a price comparison so you can see if it’s worth purchasing elsewhere. Set price alerts for products you’re waiting to buy to get notified when the price is reduced and save your favourite products to easily-accessible lists to help you keep track of your present buying.
Christmas Countdown
Because those December days all blur into one (especially after one too many Baileys), sometimes the best and simplest way to get a handle on your Christmas to-do list is to know how many sleeps are left until the big day.
Amazon Wish List
What did we do before the days of the Amazon’s wish list? Make your own wish list to circulate with family members (subtle as ever) and you’ll never end up with 12 pairs of socks again. It automatically removes a gift idea from the list once it’s been purchased so there’s no risk of duplicates.
Any.do
Get sh*t done, with Any.do – a simple tool to help you remember the million and one things you’ve got to get done in time for Christmas. Your tasks, lists and reminders sync seamlessly across all devices, including integration with your calendar, so you crack on with your organisation, wherever you are. Streamline your festive food shop with the intelligent grocery list tool you never knew you needed. Import recipes and share lists with your family and friends to make this year’s Christmas shop a pain-free experience.
Santa’s Secret Keeper
A festive, spoiler-free app dedicated to matching Secret Santas for you. Create your SS gift exchange for family, friends or colleagues, add all participants, the price range and any other details and you’re done. Now all that’s left to do is find the perfect gift on a pre-determined budget…
No More Socks
No More Socks seamlessly integrates shopping and sharing into the gift planning process. Set budgets, specify your first choice, share gift lists and keep track of present ideas throughout the year so by the time it comes to buying your yuletide prezzies, you’ve got a whole year’s worth of hints, ideas and previous successes. No socks, no stress.
